Graveyards, Drag Shows, and Rihanna: The Greatest Moments at New York Fashion Week

Another New York Fashion Week has come and gone and this season delivered an especially eclectic mix of fashion moments to unpack. From the return of Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, and Opening Ceremony to political statements on the runway to Rihanna giving us a grand finale for the books, the Spring 2019 collections had a little bit of everything. Catch up on all the major highlights—in no particular order—from this season of shows in New York.

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Rodarte Returns With a Rainy Graveyard Show

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Following a two-year hiatus in Paris, Rodarte returned to New York Fashion Week with a stunning show held in a rainy graveyard on the Lower East Side (umbrellas and all). For a brand known for its ethereal, yet moody aesthetic, the dark and drizzly moment couldn't have been a more perfect backdrop for a collection of ultra-feminine tulle, floral headpieces, and romantic gowns. The Mulleavy sisters know how to make a grand comeback.

Pyer Moss Celebrates Black Culture With a Powerful Runway

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Serving as one of the most important runways of the week, Pyer Moss brought the fashion crowd to Weeksville, Brooklyn for a show that celebrated black culture to the fullest. The show's location, home to one of the nation's first free black communities after slavery, served as a powerful setting for a collection that utilized works by black artist Derrick Adams and made statements like "Stop Calling 911 On The Culture" in t-shirt form. Making the moment even more beautiful, a gospel choir performed as a cast of all-black models walked the runway.

Ralph Lauren's 50th Anniversary Show Was a Star-Studded Extravaganza

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For his 50-year anniversary, Ralph Lauren pulled out all the stops with an over-the-top, celebrity-filled runway show held at the beautiful Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. Kanye West, Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Blake Lively, and a long list of stars celebrated the designer's milestone show that featured an astounding 100+ runway looks. Including both the Ralph Lauren Collection line and Polo Ralph Lauren looks, it was an ode to the designer's incredible impact on American sportswear.

Christina Aguilera Is The Unexpected Star of NYFW

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Following her performance at this year's #BAZAARICONS party, Xtina went on to becoming the most surprising fixture at the Spring 2019 shows. From a front row appearances at Christian Cowan to a performance during Opening Ceremony's runway show (more on that later), the singer was everywhere this week.

Christian Siriano Has Fun—and Gets Political

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Always one to put on a fun and diverse runway show, this season was no exception for Christian Siriano. Though the designer had a star-studded front row featuring Whoopi Goldberg, Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Hyland, Judith Light, and Danielle Brooks, it was Cynthia Nixon who stole the show. Speaking ahead of New York's primary election on Thursday, Siriano placed reminders on all seats to vote Cynthia Nixon for Democratic governor. Nixon herself sat front row and watched as a "Vote for Cynthia" tee walked the runway. For a designer that advocates for inclusion, diversity, and women's rights, Nixon picked a fitting place to make a cameo during NYFW—though she sadly didn't go on to win Thursday's primary.

'90s and Early '00s Supermodels Walk Proenza Schouler

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After a stint in Paris, Proenza Schouler made a return to the NYFW schedule and along with it, brought some of your favorite supermodels from the late '90s and early 2000s. Amber Valetta, Karen Elson, Tasha Tilberg, and Gemma Ward all walked the runway— marked by its acid wash denim, reimagined suiting separates, and everyday wardrobe essentials.

Brandon Maxwell Does Texas Tailgate, But Makes It Fashion

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Brandon Maxwell brought the fashion crowd down South with a tailgate-inspired show that embraced his Texan roots. Showgoers sat in the back of pickup trucks and on Yeti coolers as a preppy, southern-inspired collection hit the runway, stomping down the catwalk to the sounds of country mainstays like Bonnie Rait. The piece de resistance, though, was the rosé-bottle filled box bags that we now all want for spring.

Skipping a traditional runway show, Kenzo debuted its latest collection in the form of a short film. Written and directed by Humberto Leon, The Everything made its debut at a sparkling watch party held Friday night. The film, which showcases the brand's Fall 2018 collection, starred Milla Jovovich and a cast of cool teens that unsurprisingly made the collection look just as cool. You can watch the full thing here.

Models From 40 Different Countries Walk Prabal Gurung

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A diverse celebration of color and culture, Prabal Gurung's Spring 2019 runway represented models from an astounding 40 countries. From India to China to the designer's homeland of Nepal, a mashup of cultures and countries were celebrated as one collection of humanity and color inspired by the designer's travels around the world. It was a beautiful and diverse runway moment that sent a strong message of hope in today's political climate.

Lourdes Leon Makes Her Runway Debut

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Celebrity offspring and the modeling world go hand-in-hand, but this season we were in for a real surprise when Madonna's eldest daughter walked her first fashion show. At 21 years old, Lourdes Leon made her big runway debut at Gyspy Sport's Spring 2019 show, wearing a seashell body chain bra and baggy ripped jeans. She may just be the next style star to watch.

Opening Ceremony Returns With an Epic Drag Show

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Collaborating with Ru Paul's Drag Race, Opening Ceremony presented its Spring 2019 collection in the form of a live drag show hosted by Sasha Valour. Starring over 40 drag queens and LGBTQ models, the show celebrated the oft marginalized drag community in a fun, yet inspiring way. Topping it all off, the show ended with a surprise performance by Christina Aguilera.

Wes Gordon Makes a Colorful Debut at Carolina Herrera

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For his first collection as creative director at Carolina Herrera, Wes Gordon brought on the color with a playful, yet elegant range of looks. Though he managed to stay true to the sophisticated and ladylike core of the brand, Gordon introduced a new wave of youth and romanticism to the fashion house that will have a fresh crop of Herrera girls coming through.

Marc Jacobs Makes Everyone Wait For a Breathtaking Collection

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Marc Jacobs brought the drama this season—and not just in the form of his stunning spring collection. The designer's show started a whole 90 minutes late, ruffling the feathers of many fashion insiders—and stirring up a lot of rumors. The drama-filled wait, which Jacobs later sincerely apologized for on Instagram, was worth it though when an incredible collection of color, ruffles, and feathers hit the runway. It was Fashion with a capital F.

Rihanna Shuts Down Everything With Beautiful Savage x Fenty Show

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The week came to a close with the ultimate grand finale: Rihanna's Savage x Fenty lingerie show. It was an incredibly diverse and stunning celebration of womanhood in every way—featuring symbolic dances, a theatrical performance, and an inclusive runway cast that also starred two pregnant models. To sum it up: Rihanna won the whole week.

Harper's BAZAAR Wrecks The Plaza

Though you likely already heard, the #BAZAARICONS party got a little wild this year. Tapping into our September issue's rock'n'roll theme, partygoers including Tiffany Haddish, 21 Savage, Elsa Hosk, Karolina Kurkova, Karrueche Tran, Halima Aden, and more got into the spirit by wrecking a suite in true rockstar fashion—all in good fun, of course.

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